Mechanic s and buildee s scaffold bracket



(No Model.)

S. E. RHODES.

MEOHANIG'S AND BUILDER'S SUAFPOLD BRACKET.

Patented Apr. 6, 1886.

UNTTED STATES PATENT FFTCEQ STEPHEN EUGENE RHODES, OF SARATOGA SPRINGS,NEYV YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EDMOND G. ROVSON, OF SAME PLACE.

MECHANICS AND BUILDERS SCAFFOLD-BRACKET.

EPECZFEGATIQN forming vpart of Letters Patent No. 339,321, dated April6, 1886.

Application filed January 11, 1884. Serial No. 117,155. (X model.)

.To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, STEPHEN EUGENE Rnonns, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Saratoga Springs, in the county of Saratogaand Stateof New York, have inventcd a new and useful Improvement in Mechanics andBuilders Scaffold-Brackets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in [O mechanics and buildersscaffold-brackets, in which are employed three bars and pivoted strapsconnecting said bars; and it consists of the devices and parts andcombinations of devices and elements hereinafter described,

and particularly set forth in the claim.

The objects of my invention are to produce a bracket which can bereadily attached in a strong and secure manner to the side of a buildingor other structure for holding scaffold-boards for support of workmenengaged on the structure, and also to provide means by which the partscomposing the bracket can be readily folded together in a compact formfor reducing its bulk when being kept in stor- 2 5 age or not in use,and when being transported from place to place. I attain these objectsby the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side view of ascaffold-bracket embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a sec tionalelevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a side view of the bracket when itsparts are folded together for storage or transportation. Fig. 4 is aview of horizontal bar of the bracket from its upper side, andillustrates the manner in which the bracket can be secured against aside of a structure.

The same letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the severalviews.

Horizontal bar A, vertical bar B, and oblique bar 0 compose the body ofthe bracket, and straps D, E, and F connect these bars together in asecure manner.

The horizontal bar A is preferably made of wood, and with a length whichwill include the scafi'old-bearing portion A between points a a, and theattaching portion A between points a a The attaching portion A of thisbar is provided with perforation G, made with any suitable form forreceiving a suitable key ingpiece, H, and preferably with an oblong formin a horizontal direction, as shown in Fig. 1, so as to admit the use ofkeys of differ ent widths, as may be required by reason of differentdepths of opening through the side of the structure the bracket is to beapplied to, through which this attaching portion A of bar A is to passbefore being secured. Made in the lower side of the forward portion, A,of this bar, and toward the outer end of the same, is the inclined notchb, and made in the upper side of this bar, at point a, is the hook-formnotch b.

The vertical bar B is preferably made of wood, and has made in its frontside, at near its lower end, the beveled or inclined notch c. This baris suspended from horizontal bar A by means of straps D D, which arerigidly secured to bar B by two or more bolts, d, or their knownequivalents, and the suspension. D0113 d .5

The oblique bar C is made with a length corresponding with the distancebetween the foot of notch b of bar A and notch c of bar B when said twobars are at right angles to each other, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Theends of this bracing-bar are each made in shape to correspond with theform of the respective notches b and 0, so as to hold withthe same.

The upper end, h, of vertical bar B terminates at a point below thelower side of horizontal bar A, to form the opening I between said upperend It and the lower side of bar A, which will permit the rear endportion of said bar to drop down, so that the hook-notch b in the upperside of said bar can be carried out of engagement with thesuspension-bolt d of straps D D.

Straps E hold the upper end of bracing-bar G in pivoted connection withthe front end portion of bar A by means of the pivot-bolts m m, andstraps F hold the lower end of said bar 0 in pivoted connection withvertical bar B by the pivot-bolts n n.

The pivoted straps E permit bar A to be moved from position of fulllines to that of dotted lines in Fig. 2, so that the rear end portion ofsaid bar will drop down in opening I between the rigid straps D, andeffect a disengagement ofsuspension-bolt d from notch b of bar A, whennotch b of the same bar will be out of engagement with the upper end ofbracing-bar O, and when thus disengaged bar A, turning on pivoted strapsE, can be readily moved endwise in direction of arrow 1, Fig. 2, untilthe attaching portion A of bar A will be moved fully out from opening Ibetween straps D D. Vhen this is done, the pivoted straps E and F willpermit bar A to be turned down on the inner side of bracing-bar O, andbe shoved endwise downward between said bracing-bar O and vertical barB, substantially as shown in Fig. 3, when this bracket will be foldedcompactly together. Reversed opera tions of the parts will open out'thesame and effect their relative arrangement, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2,for use for holding scaffoldboards.

- In Figs. 1 and 4 is illustrated an application of this bracket to theside of a frame building or structure, and the attaching end pO1ti0n,Aof the horizontal bar Ais shown to be passed through a hole or opening,L, in the side of the structure, (the sheathing of the same,) and at aside of one of the studding-pieces of the V frame until bar B has beenbrought against the sheathing Z, whenkey H is passed through perforationG and driven in, so as to bind tightly on studding-pieces Z Z and drawthe bracket against the side of the building, as shown in Fig. 1. Thenthe suspended bar B,

through straps D and suspension-bolt d, acting with notch b, will reactagainst the draft of keyH and effect a clamping of the portion of theside of the structure neighboring hole L in the same.

The perforation or key-hole G is shown in Fig. 2 to be on a line belowthe plane of the suspension-bolt d and its coacting notch b. By thisrelative arrangement of said parts there is produced a tendency offorcing the outer end with notch Z) of barA downwardly, and. therebypress bar 0 in notch c of the suspended bar B, and force the lower endof this suspended bar tightly against the side of the building.

This bracket can be used with brick or other buildings or structures. Ifpreferred, it can be made of metal, or wood and metal combined.

This bracket can be readily secured to buildings by its own means ofattachment, and substantial and safe scaffolds can be rapidly placed atany desired line at the sides of buildings with but little expense oflabor, and when not in use these brackets can be stored away in acompact manner.

I am aware that Letters Patent No. 159,309, granted to S. N. Fisher,February 2, 1875, shows a scaffold-bracket in which the upright bar,horizontal plank-supporting bar, and the bracing-bar are connectedtogether by metallic straps to enable the same to be folded together. Itherefore do not broadlyclaim brackets which can be at will folded up asabove described.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

. In brackets for scaffolds, the combination, with horizontal barA,provided with notches b and b and keying perforations G, and thevertical bar B, having notch c, and suspended from notch b in bar A byrigid straps having opening I between, of a bracing-bar having its endscorresponding with notches b and 0 in bars A and B, and connected withthe same by pivoted straps E and F, substantially as and for theoperations and purposes set forth.

STEPHEN EUGENE RHODES.

Vitnesses:

ESMOND STILEs, WM. H. McOALL.

